[lace] White/coloured laces
What can one add to Gil's authoritative accounts? Gil, I have loved your articles on early lace for the Lace Guild. I hope there will be more. I have been reading some of the old lace books from the digital archive - including the Romance of the Lace Pillow - I can't remember whether it is in here or another book but there is mention of Coventry Blue lace. There was also mention of 'inflammatory' green shoes with matching lace rosettes (green being regarded as the colour of lust). Body-Linen ie underclothes became of much greater importance around the time lace was emerging due to a shift in medical thinking. The miasma theory of disease - carried on the air - was becoming prevalent. This had the strange effect of turning people away from bathing as it was thought to be unhealthy. Frequent hot baths by opening the pores in the skin left one vulnerable to invasion of pestilent vapours, and with plague and sweating sickness (a virulent influenza) small pox ... there was plenty to be vulnerable to! What we describe as "sponge baths" rather than immersion together with clean and frequent changes of body linen became the accepted practice, and fashion reflected this. Decorative edgings peeping out from under top clothes allowed one to advertise ones underclothes - a practice unthinkable to the Victorians! Louise In cool, showery Cambridge. The Weatherforecaster described this week as 'Autumnal' I thought she was exaggerating until I drove into work today. Date: Sun, 17 Jul 2011 16:47:47 EDT From: gil...@aol.com Subject: [lace] coloured lace Over the past two years I have been looking at the lace from the sixteenth and early seventeenth century that survives in UK collections. I have been able to study nearly a hundred linen edgings and insertions that are still attached to their original garment or household linen, and around sixty examples of gold and silver lace (on cushions, gloves and other accessories). Two of the metallic laces (both surface decoration and associated with Bess of Hardwick) include coloured silk threads (one blue, one green). Three of the linen insertions and six of the edgings also include coloured silk threads, mostly black, but three are pink/red silk and there is one jacket in the V&A with an edging of cream linen and red wool. The colour of the linen I have seen ranges from bright white to completely unbleached. At that time it was not possible to successfully dye linen thread Most of the black silk is in a very bad state - the mordant used in the dying process to fix the colour tends to rot the thread, and this is one of the reasons why so little coloured lace has survived from that period. Several portraits of the time show black silk lace around the neckline and there are vast quantities of gold and coloured silk lace used as surface decoration - not to mention the gold lace on the knee sashes and shoe roses of the Sackville brothers and other 17th century men of fashion. There are five little samples of linen edgings attached to a letter written by Elizabeth Isham to her father in about 1620. I have just worked them in spring shades of green Sylko sewing cotton and they look great so I am looking forward to trying more of the early lace in colour. Gil, hoping for a sunny early morning in NE England so she can photograph the green lace. - - - To unsubscribe send email to majord...@arachne.com containing the line: unsubscribe lace y...@address.here. For help, write to arachne.modera...@gmail.com. Photo site: http://community.webshots.com/user/arachne2003
Re: [lace] Re: Lace - White
Hi Queen Victoria got married in 1840 and it took until 1899 for the fashion to get to Mountfield, a small village in East Sussex England. My 101 year old Mother in Law often tells the tale of her Aunt Flora who was the first person in the village to wear a white wedding dress. As you can imagine it caused quite a stir as prior to that all brides wore a new or best 'costume' (suit) and then wore this for best for many years to come. There was never enough money for such luxuries as a dress that would never wear again. Flora may have been influenced by her new husband as he came from London where I assume they were a little more ahead in the fashion stakes! >From Angela in cold damp Sussex England --- On Sun, 17/7/11, lynrbai...@desupernet.net wrote: From: lynrbai...@desupernet.net Subject: Re: [lace] Re: Lace - White To: elationrelat...@yahoo.com Cc: lace@arachne.com Date: Sunday, 17 July, 2011, 23:55 Dear Sue et al, I agree, and find sense with what you say, except for white wedding dresses. It is my understanding that white wedding dresses only came into vogue when Queen Victoria wore white to her wedding. Before that, I believe they were many different colors. They were your best dress for several years thereafter, and made to be worn in that way. Lyn in Lancaster, Pennsylvania, where the weather is still summer, but it's getting a bit hotter and more humid than perfect. And it's supposed to get more so tomorrow. Air conditioning is a good thing. -Original Message- >From: Susan Reishus >Sent: Jul 17, 2011 10:01 AM >To: Arachne Lace >Subject: [lace] Re: Lace - White > >"I would also bet that keeping clothing white was very difficult and >expensive in the middle ages and so that also showed off a person's >wealth." >Liz Redford >"White meant rich." Lyn in PA > >*** > >That is what first came to >mind for me. My grandmother and mother had to have everything "white" of the >whitest white, (which I always felt was tied to my grandmother's UK royal >lineage, which most all of us have in some type or way...). The energy and >knowledge it takes to keep a white blouse or linens a white white, takes some >knowing. My elders had a disdain for anything less, and my mother would bring >home white towels and whiten them more, before they could be used. Then they >were used once, and washed again. > >Something cream or ecru could be fudged and >worn again, I suppose, but a white lace collar against the skin would at least >pick up oils and need to be cleaned again, to make sure it didn't yellow. >Doing all of that work (especially the ruffled works) would require it as a >part time job, just for one. I would also suppose (as I think someone >mentioned) that white thread at that time would cost more, as it was >additionally processed. Traditionally, most people have dark hair, and so >pure white is more flattering to wear. > >I find myself cringing at natural >colored fibers as they look soiled or aged or uncared for, and think that is >the unconscious reason why colored lace isn't often embraced...it could >indicate there was a stain, or something of lesser quality was colored to >cover it up. Cream and ecru (and colors) are also difficult to clean, as they >tend to whiten, whereas white can be treated with no concern other than >damaging the fibers themselves. Nowadays we have such gorgeous colors to >choose from, that I hope that perspective fades. > > >To me, white has always >appeared as purity, esteem, regality, etc. I suppose white christening gowns >and brides dresses, nuns collars, etc., validate that. > > >I am knitting white >tip towels and hand towels, and when asked what I am doing, the first comment >is, "Oh that will be hard to clean!" when I feel it is quite the opposite. My >sister got similar comments to her queries about why most things were white, >when buying heirloom pieces for all the family in Belgium. The sales clerks >said you can get white really clean and remove stains, but really hard with >anything else. > > >Best, >Susan Reishus > >- >To unsubscribe send email to majord...@arachne.com containing the line: >unsubscribe lace y...@address.here. For help, write to >arachne.modera...@gmail.com. Photo site: >http://community.webshots.com/user/arachne2003 - To unsubscribe send email to majord...@arachne.com containing the line: unsubscribe lace y...@address.here. For help, write to arachne.modera...@gmail.com. Photo site: http://community.webshots.com/user/arachne2003 - To unsubscribe send email to majord...@arachne.com containing the line: unsubscribe lace y...@address.here. For help, write to arachne.modera...@gmail.com. Photo site: http://community.webshots.com/user/arachne2003
[lace] Re: Lace - White
"agree...except white wedding dresses..." Lyn *** In reference to the white wedding dress, I didn't mean as far as long term tradition, or ties to wealth or royalty...just that white indicates purity, something difficult to attain or not worn daily (white) or perhaps some form of exalted state (as in "queen for a day" LOL)... Best, Susan Reishus - To unsubscribe send email to majord...@arachne.com containing the line: unsubscribe lace y...@address.here. For help, write to arachne.modera...@gmail.com. Photo site: http://community.webshots.com/user/arachne2003
Re: [lace] The LaceNews Channel on YouTube - correction
I would like to thank Laurie for making this site available. I thought I have seen all of them but there are many I have not found until now. Thank you From: Laurie Waters To: lace@arachne.com Cc: Laurie Waters Sent: Sunday, July 17, 2011 5:21 PM Subject: [lace] The LaceNews Channel on YouTube - correction Here's a better URL for my favorite video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eSMfRepZAB0 Laurie lacen...@gmail.com http://lacenews.net http://http://www.youtube.com/user/lacenews - To unsubscribe send email to majord...@arachne.com containing the line: unsubscribe lace y...@address.here. For help, write to arachne.modera...@gmail.com. Photo site: http://community.webshots.com/user/arachne2003 - To unsubscribe send email to majord...@arachne.com containing the line: unsubscribe lace y...@address.here. For help, write to arachne.modera...@gmail.com. Photo site: http://community.webshots.com/user/arachne2003
[lace] lace videos
Hello All! Thank you Laurie for your excellent lace video library! WOW!! Where do you find the time to track down all this material? I got caught up in the Roumanian point lace & Irish crochet modules yesterday. One could be in there for days & not come up for air! What's really nice is that my knitting teacher & several EGA friends who are not "lacemakers" can try some of these techniques with your helpful tutorials. Most of them are right handed & my left handed help was not enough to get them going. Bravo! Sincerely, Susan Hottle, Erie, PA USA - To unsubscribe send email to majord...@arachne.com containing the line: unsubscribe lace y...@address.here. For help, write to arachne.modera...@gmail.com. Photo site: http://community.webshots.com/user/arachne2003
RE: [lace] Royal lace and floral Bucks Point
Dear Jean Thank you for posting these links for us all to enjoy. I was particularly fascinated with the article on the lace from the Wedding Dress as I have been following all the posts and magazines and wrote a summary for our Embroiderers Guild magazine which received a lot of comment. It is a shame that the process was kept so secret but I am pleased to read your report confirming what we thought. There has been just so much guess work and frivolous reporting by journalists who have no idea and don't bother to check their facts. Those of us who live on the other side of the world, appreciate the on-the-spot reporting. I am so envious of the ease of travel and do-able distances in Europe compared to us in Australia who must sit in a plane for 20 plus hours to reach these destinations. Annette in chilly South Coast of NSW Australia. ameld...@ozemail.com.au On Behalf Of Jean Leader I have just added two new pages to my website: the first one is about our visit to the lace museum in Caudry, France where the lace that decorated the Duchess of Cambridge's wedding dress was made http://www.jeanleader.co.uk/articles/weddinglace.html and the second one has some hints for working floral Bucks Point lace http://www.jeanleader.co.uk/techniques/floralbucks.html To unsubscribe send email to majord...@arachne.com containing the line: unsubscribe lace y...@address.here. For help, write to arachne.modera...@gmail.com. Photo site: http://community.webshots.com/user/arachne2003 - To unsubscribe send email to majord...@arachne.com containing the line: unsubscribe lace y...@address.here. For help, write to arachne.modera...@gmail.com. Photo site: http://community.webshots.com/user/arachne2003
[lace] Edinburgh Lace Course (UK)
Just wondered if anyone here is going to the Edinburgh Lace Course next week? I'm looking forward to learning a new (to me) style of lace and being able to concentrate on just lacemaking for a few days. Lesley from Marple, Cheshire, UK currently holidaying in Northumberland! - To unsubscribe send email to majord...@arachne.com containing the line: unsubscribe lace y...@address.here. For help, write to arachne.modera...@gmail.com. Photo site: http://community.webshots.com/user/arachne2003
RE: [lace] The LaceNews Channel on YouTube - update
This would be really great -- but I'm not computer literate enough to find it on YouTube. I find wigs on lace news channgel -- but that's it. Can someone help please with direct instructions? Thanks, Diane Z Lubec, Maine -Original Message- From: owner-l...@arachne.com [mailto:owner-l...@arachne.com] On Behalf Of Laurie Waters Sent: Sunday, July 17, 2011 6:18 PM To: lace@arachne.com Cc: Laurie Waters Subject: [lace] The LaceNews Channel on YouTube - update Just a short update - I now have 969 lacemaking videos organized into 50 playlists on the LaceNews Channel on YouTube. The top playlists are: Tatting390 videos (I'm not really a tatter, but someone asked for it. You can only have 200 videos in a playlist, so tatting is split into 2 playlists) Bobbinlace instruction160 Spanish bobbinlace62 Italian Bobbinlace35 Brazil Bobbinlace31 (Unexpected and absoultely fascinating) Turkish Oya24 Brazilian Needlelace (yes, there is such a thing)19 Bruges Lacemakers, taken mainly by tourists17 Croatia, Pag, Lepoglava, Hvar16 French bobbinlace16 Romanian Point15 Puncetto12 German Kloppeln11 I'm still finding new things every day. I've finally decided on an organization for the items in each playlist. Everyting is listed according to the video author, in alphabetical order. Within an author's videos, I list them by date posted. This seems to be the easiest way to keep things, and it will be a little while before I get everything organized in this pattern. For this first pass I'm trying to get everything updated to the end of June 2011. I have lots of keywords, and will update the site at the end of each month by searching on the keywords. Please let me know if there is anything obviously missing. So far, my absolute favorite is this one from The Netherlands: http://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=bobbin+lace+kantklossen&aq=f I'm taking a pause to do some updates on the LaceNews blog, which has been a bit neglected because of the new channel. Laurie lacen...@gmail.com http://lacenews.net http://http://www.youtube.com/user/lacenews - To unsubscribe send email to majord...@arachne.com containing the line: unsubscribe lace y...@address.here. For help, write to arachne.modera...@gmail.com. Photo site: http://community.webshots.com/user/arachne2003 - To unsubscribe send email to majord...@arachne.com containing the line: unsubscribe lace y...@address.here. For help, write to arachne.modera...@gmail.com. Photo site: http://community.webshots.com/user/arachne2003
[lace] 17thC Women's Dress Patterns--Book One
Hello All! Mary Corbet just reviewed this book on her site www.needlenthread.com & she says there is a section on bobbin lace with patterns! Lots of other stuff that might interest Arachne members: gloves, embroidered waistcoats, coifs, sleeves etc., including pics of x-rays of museum garments. Looks like I'll be consulting the interlibrary loan dept. yet again. Perhaps Jeri & Tess already have their own copies!! Sincerely, Susan Hottle, Erie, PA USA - To unsubscribe send email to majord...@arachne.com containing the line: unsubscribe lace y...@address.here. For help, write to arachne.modera...@gmail.com. Photo site: http://community.webshots.com/user/arachne2003
[lace] Bucks point, & Wedding dress
Thank you,. Jean for both of those articles on your web site. How interesting to get to see where the Wedding Dress lace was made, - and especially to see the lace after it had been trimmed from the whole piece, and then displayed how it was on the dress. Also the article on Bucks point. I will Read, Mark, Learn, and Inwardly Digest it before taking the class with you when you come to Oz in September. I am So looking forward to meeting you, and to having a lesson with you. I will be off in 2 days time on my trip to USA, and hope to meet some Arachneans in Denver, Bethesda, and/or Seattle during the next 4 weeks. Regards from Liz in Melbourne lizl...@bigpond.com - To unsubscribe send email to majord...@arachne.com containing the line: unsubscribe lace y...@address.here. For help, write to arachne.modera...@gmail.com. Photo site: http://community.webshots.com/user/arachne2003
